Crewmates - SakuAtsu fanfiction

Chapter Eleven

Credits to tiffyuumaeda on Twitter for the fanart!

***

Just as Sakusa was about to fall asleep after hours of twisting and turning in thoughts, he heard a soft knock on the door. The moon was slightly visible from the top window of his cabin, meaning the time was in the early hours of the morning. He wiped away the covers and walked to the door, opening it slowly. Atsumu was standing before him, his eyes red, cheeks swollen, same as earlier. His posture low and tired.

"Can I come in?" he asked softly, Sakusa barely able to hear the words, but he nodded nonetheless. Atsumu sat on his own desk chair, his elbows on his knees as he rubbed his temples. Now out of instinct, Sakusa was keeping himself out of reach. The captain had noticed.

"Uhm.... I-I wanted to apologize, for earlier." he began, unable to look anywhere but at his feet. "I didn't mean to hurt you like that."

Sakusa stayed quiet. He didn't really know how to act or what to reply. He'd been pondering all night if Atsumu was the same person he knew yesterday at the hill. After a moment, Atsumu broke the tense atmosphere again.

"H-how's your wrist..?" a flash of pain in his voice. It was obvious he didn't truly want to know the answer, but Sakusa replied anyways. 

"Bruised. Sensitive. Purple." he shot back. Atsumu winced at every word. He knew he was being harsh to the boy, but he wouldn't forgive him so easily.

"I'm sorry, Sakusa. I really am." Atsumu finally had the courage to look up, his eyes still threatening to spill the salty tears. "I wasn't me, back there. I took it out on you, and I'll never forgive myself for it."

Sakusa took in a deep breath. He looked down at his feet, building up the courage to ask. "What was it?" He sighed.

"What?" the captain asked, confused by the vague question. Sakusa made his way to the bed and sat as he sensed his legs give out from the lack of food and energy.

"What was the meeting about?" 

The younger boy looked at the other, patiently waiting for him to process the question. He could see a glimpse of rage in his features, but he knew Atsumu was too tired to act upon it.

"I don't know where to begin..." Atsumu whispered.

"Then let me help you." Sakusa started with maybe a little too much grip to the sentence. "Who are you, truly."

"I-I don't understand..."

"Komori told me you had found some 'heavy information' the other night, and it got me thinking." Sakusa started to explain, slowly getting fed up by the unknown. "I knew this whole thing was too good to be true from the beginning. So no more bullshit, Atsumu. Who are you people, and what do you want with me?"

Sakusa could see the shock on Atsumu's face, he looked almost speechless.

"Oh... I see..." he began. "Well, alright then, I'll tell you everything." 

Finally an answer, Sakusa thought. "I have all night."

"I know what you're thinking... Ya think were a bunch of manipulative jerks, right?" Atsumu scoffed at his own comment. He knew he was right in his assumption. "Well, first of all, we never lied to you. We are pirates, but we don't attack and we don't steal... but we are looking for something....or someone, I should say..."

"Who are you looking for?" Sakusa pushed. It took Atsumu a few seconds to reply.

"My mother... That's who we were looking for, anyways." The atmosphere swiftly turned melancholic.